By David Shepardson

(Reuters) -The U.S. State Department announced Thursday that it would reduce “Do Not Travel” advisories to international destinations. This comes after officials from public health made a shift in the way they assess COVID-19 issues.

It currently rates nearly 120 countries and territories out of 215 that it does not rate, including large parts of Europe and Israel.

It stated that the update would leave about 10% of all travel advisories at level 4 (all risk factors included, and not just COVID). In a statement, the department stated it believes the new framework will allow Americans to make more informed decisions regarding international travel safety.

On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it will reduce its Level 4 rating of 90 countries to around 90 starting Monday.

Biden has been pressuring airlines and travel agencies to relax the COVID-negative test requirements that international travelers must pass before departing, just as other countries have done.

Officials from the administration claim that this issue is under investigation, but officials at health have not made any changes.